Young Champions Award Ceremony

On Friday, Lokomotiv U16s came to Cherkizovo to get their awards for winning the Russian Championship among the teams of their age.

In a tournament in Sochi the Railwaymen won all seven games, beating Rubin in the Final. Our players were noted by several individual awards: Ivan Lapshov was named the best defender, Yevgeniy Slanko - the best striker, and Maksim Kalanchevskiy - the MVP.

Now the players were to be awarded by the club. All management were there: president Olga Smorodskaya, RFPL Executive Director Sergey Cheban, Director of Lokomotiv Sports Education Centre Sergey Pavlov, and the main team coaches Igor Cherevchenko, Sarkis Oganesyan, and Oleg Pashinin.

Lokomotiv president Olga Smorodskaya addressed the guys:

‘Dear parents, it is the first title in your children’s career. I hope it’s a good start. The Russian Championship is a difficult competition and it’s an honour to win it. I want to wish the guys luck, health, and new victories and titles at Lokomotiv. I want to say a special thank you to our coach Nikolay Ulyanov. Keep it up!’

Then the RFPL Executive Director Sergey Cheban stepped in:

‘You demonstrated great play and showed character. You just have to make a few steps to play for your great club and your national team, we’re waiting for you there. I hope you will use the chances you’ll have’.

The guys have already made their first step, though. Ivan Lapshov, Svyatoslav Muradov and Maksim Bogatyryov were absent at the ceremony due to a call-up to the national team that won the tournament in Serbia.

Then, Director of Lokomotiv Sports Education Centre Sergey Pavlov had a word:

‘I want to congratulate you. Champions of Russia is a very serious title. Throughout the season you gave nobody a cause to doubt you, and you played all seven games well. I wish you that this trophy would be just a starter. I congratulate you on the victory, well done!’

The guys’ coach Nikolay Ulyanov had the last word:

‘I’m very pleased to hear all these words. In return, I want to congratulate the coaching staff and our president Ms Olga Smorodskaya on the victory in the Russian Cup. We know that Lokomotiv coaches have been looking at us closely, and gave advices. I hope our players will be able to make themselves known and be part of the main team’.

In the end came the awards and presents, and a family photo.